Rail-joint.



wuanwwaa J. E. ARTHUR.

RAILJOINT.

Patented July 9, 1918.

INVENTDE.

JOHN E. ARTHUR, OF LANES, ILLINOIS.

RAIL-JOINT.

Specification of Ietters I Patent.

Patented July 9, 1918.

Application filed March 10, 1917. Serial No. 153,811.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JO N E. ARTHUR, a citizen of the United States of America, and a resident of Lanes, county of Dewitt, and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Rail-Joints, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in rail joints and the principal object is to dispense with the use of nuts and bolts and similar detachable fastening means.

A further object is the provision of a structure whereby the meeting ends of the rails are securely locked and held together, provision being made for expansion and contraction, due to variation in temperature.

Another object of this invention is a device of this kind which may be readily placed and locked in position and whereby the ends of the rails are securely held together, and-prevented from relative vertical or lateral movement.

To the accomplishment of the foregoing and such other objects as may hereinafter appear, my invention consists 1n the combination, construction and arrangement of parts hereinafter described and then sought to be defined in the appended claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, and which show merely for the purpose of illustrative disclosure, a preferred embodiment of my invention, it being understood that various changes may be made in practice within the scope of the claims without digressing from my inventive idea.

Referring now to the drawings,

Figure 1 represents a side elevation of the meeting ends of a pair of rails with devices constructed according to my invention, applied thereto; v

Fig. 2 is a horizontal longitudinal crosssection, taken on section line 22 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a vertical transverse section taken on line 33 of Fig. 2;

Fig. i is a top plan view of part of a rail and devices constructed according to my invention, parts being shown in dotted lines to facilitate disclosure, and

Fig. 5 is a detail view of a tool used for removing the springs.

The standard form of equipment of railroads at the present time, includes fish plates for the meeting ends of the rails and bolts passing through the fish plates and webs of the rails, and nuts on the bolts for holding the parts securely in position. This structure necessitates continual inspection,

tightening of the nutsand replacement thereof, and of the spikes holding the rails to the'ties and also permits the ends of the rails to have vertical movement relative to '2, the web 3 and the head or tread 4.

Through the end portionsof the webs of the rails, I provide the plurality of apertures 5. The locking and securing means includes the fish plate members 6 which are arranged on opposite sides of the rail, as shown in Fig. 2, and as is customary, these fish plate members are shaped to fit tight against the top surfaces of the base, the web and the under side of the tread or head of the rail, as clearly shown in Fig. 3. a

Each of these fish plate members 6 is provided with the apertures 7 extending therethrough, and at one side of the apertures with the locking lugs 8. -The'se locking lugs 8 extend inwardly so as to pass through the apertures 5 in the web and the apertures 7 in the other fish plate and are provided with the cut-out portions 9 forming the locking heads 10. On the other edge of each locking lug 8 I provide the extremital flange 11 which forms a stop or abutment against which the end of the S-shaped spring 12 engages, when in its extreme flattened condition,

The parts are assembled by positioning the fish plate members one on each side of the web of the rail and moving them toward each other so that the locking lugs pass through the apertures in the webs of the rails and through the apertures in the fish plate members themselves. These fish plate members are then moved in opposite directions so that the beveled under face 13 of the head 10 wed es against the bevel surface 14: at one edge 0 the aperture 7, as clearly shown in Fig. 2. The springs are then inserted and bear against the parts so as to hold them in locked position. While these springs are stiff, still they are sufliciently resilient to permit the necessary expansion and contraction of the parts, due to variation in temperature.

In order to relieve the springs,it is only necessary to insert the end 15 of tool 16' under one end of the spring and fthen' pry them loose.

It is therefore seen that I have provided a rail joint which is exceedingly simple in construction, being composed of few "parts expansion and contraction of the parts. The

curve ofthe springs is exaggerated-in the drawing. The wedging action of the heads 10 of the locking lugs increases the security of the engagement of the parts. 7 vThe body of the locking lug is spaced from the walls of the aperture in the fish platemember through which it. passes, so as to permit the expansion and contraction due to change in temperature and other conditions.

What I claim is 1. A. rail joint including in combination, rails having slots through the webs thereof,

vfish plate members positioned oneon each side of the rails, each fish plate member having a plurality of apertures therethrough and a locking lug adjacent each aperture and extending inwardly, said locking lugs being adapted to pass through the apertures 4 in the websof, the rails and through the apertures, inlthe .other fish plate member.

2. --A.rail joint including in combination,

rails having slots through the web's thereof,

fish plate'members positioned one on each side of therails, each fish plate member having a' plurality of apertures therethrough and a locking lug adjacent each aperture and extending inwardly, said locking lugs ing a plurality of apertures therethrough and alocking lug adjacent each'aperture and extending inwardly, said locking lugs being adapted to pass through-the apertures inthe webs of the rails and through the apertures in the other fish plate member,

said locking lugs having headed portions adapted to engage the outside of the other fishplate member when the fish plate -members are moved in opposite directions to each other, said heads having inclined under surfaces so that they have a wedging action against the other fish plate member. 4. :A-rail joint including in combination, rails having slots through the webs thereof,

-fish-plate members positioned one on each webs of the rails and through the apertures in the other fish plate member, and means for pressing the fishplate membersin opposlte directions .to hold the parts in locked irelation;

5. A. rail joint including in combination rails having slots through the webs. thereof, fish plate memberspositioned one on each side .of the rails, each fish plate member having a plurality of apertures therethrough and a locking lug adjacent each aperture and extending inwardly, said locking lugs being adapted to pass through the apertures in the .webs of the rails and through theapertures in the other fish plate member,.means for pressing the fish plate members in opposite directions to hold the partsvin locked relation, said means comprising .an :S-shaped resilient member. V

6. A rail joint including in combination, rails having slots through the webs thereof, fishplate members positioned one, on each side ofthe rails, each fish plate member hav- .ing a plurality of apertures therethrough' and a locking lug adjacent each aperture and @Xtending inwardly, saidlockinglugs being -adapted to pass through the apertures in the .webs of the rails and through; the apertures in the other fish plate.;member,'means.for pressing the fish plate members in opposite directions to hold the parts in locked relation, said means comprising an S-shaped resilient ,member, said lugs having abutments on the. rear thereof, against which the ends of the resilientv members engage, when in their extreme flattened condition.

7..A' rail joint including in combination, rails having slots through the webs-thereof,

fish plate members positioned one on each side of the rails, each fish plate member having a plurality of apertures therethrough :and a locking. lug adjacent each apertureand extending inwardly, saidlocking lugs being adapted to pass through the apertures i in the webs of the rails and through the apertures in the other fish plate member, said locking lugs having headed portions adapted to engage the outside of-theiother. fish plate member when the fi'shplate members are moved in opposite directions to each other, said heads'having inclined underfaces so that they have a wedging action. against. the other fish plate member, and means for" forcfing said 'fishvplate membersinoppositeldirectio'ns. f

8. A rail joint including in combination,

rails having slots through the Webs thereof,

fish plate members positioned one on each side of the rails, each fish plate member having a plurality of apertures therethrough and a locking lug adjacent each aperture and extending inwardly, said locking lugs being adapted to pass through the apertures in the Webs of the rails and through the apertures in the other fish plate member, said locking lugs having headed portions adapted to engage the outside of the other fish plate member when the fish plate members are moved in opposite directions to each other, said heads having inclined under surfaces so that they have a Wedging action against the other fish plate member, abutments on the other sides of said lugs and S-shaped resilient members passing through the apertures in said fish plate members and said Webs, the ends of Which engage said abutments When in their extreme flattened condition.

JOHN E. ARTHUR.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. 0. 

